Limerick’s Foxes Bow Irish Whiskey hopes to break through the noise with new sonic branding. “It’s obvious when you think about it, but sound has been so overlooked when it comes to branding. It’s going to save us time and money, and we’re going to stand out much more now,” Alice Carroll, co-founder, Foxes Bow Irish Whiskey, said.
When Carroll set out to build a whiskey brand that didn’t look, or feel like the rest of the shelf, she quickly realised one missing ingredient: sound. That’s where Laudhaus came in. Ireland’s first dedicated sonic branding agency, founded by award-winning adland creative director and musician Keith Lawler, devised a new sound for the brand.
Thrill
Foxes Bow is a triple blend aged in bourbon and finished in oloroso sherry and rye casks. What emerged is far from what consumers are used to hearing from a whiskey. Think 90’s hip-hop energy meets the neon chaos of sneaker and graffiti culture, laced with build-ups, drops, and percussive moments that capture the thrill of the first drink of the night.
‘We’re living in a world of visual fatigue. But strategically designed sound cuts through. It builds memory, emotion and distinction’ – Keith Lawler
Lawler says that what sets the brand’s sonic identity apart is the local texture. Laudhaus built tracks from the ground up using the reverberations of Limerick’s Foxes Bow street – where the whiskey gets its name – and designed a custom synth tone based on the cadence of the local accent. The cork-pop of the whiskey bottle is a kick drum sound.
“We spent time and budget on finding music that kind of fits, but never really said us and could be used by any brand,” Carroll explained. “Now, every sound we use is intentional, ownable, and aligned with how we want to show up.” Working with Laudhaus on the campaign were Ruairi Lynch of Bantum and Ben Wanders of Wanderland Studios.
Watch and listen to the Foxes Bow case study at https://vimeo.com/1101891208
